Flake: I'll Block Judges Until Mueller Protection Vote

In Washington, D.C., the Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday blocked legislation aimed at protecting special counsel Robert Mueller's Russian Federation probe.

Grassley's comments run counter to those of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said Wednesday he did not want the measure to be taken up by the full Senate.

The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, passed by the Judiciary Committee in April on a 14-7 vote, requires unanimous support.

Grassley on Thursday said he supported the bill being brought to the Senate floor, the Hill reported.

Two potential Republican allies for Flake, Sens. Flake vowed to withhold his vote on judicial nominees if Republican leadership continued to block a vote protecting Robert Mueller. Flake said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday.

[Flake] said McConnell doesn't want to bring it to the floor because he's anxious about angering President Trump.

McConnell told reporters he believed the legislation was unnecessary because Mueller was not in danger of being fired.

"We talked about border security and how to resolve all this, and we're optimistic we have a way forward, ' McConnell of Kentucky said after he and Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama met with the president".

"Shelby said Trump was in a good mood and 'didn't threaten anything.' The senator added, 'We're not going to shut down the government".

As evidenced by his efforts during Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation fight as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, all Flake has to do is band together with Democrats on the panel to keep judicial nominees from going to the floor. Grassley said he would not be "in the forefront with Flake advocating that the leader do so and so" but that he wouldn't be opposed to the bill's passing either.